1989 - Defender Parts Co. | Land Rover Defender

The original Land Rover Defenders were never meant to be luxurious or powerful, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying

Once upon a time, SUVs used to be simple, basic, and utilitarian. In no way were they designed to swaddle the owner in leather, suede, and wood with comfortable seats and advanced creature comforts. Then came the Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, and an endless slew of luxury crossovers. The Land Rover Defender was one of the first widely used, bare-bones, purely-functional SUVs that was mostly used by farmers and explorers. Recently though, defenders have gained loads of attention from the aftermarket community because of how basic and authentic they are. This Defender 110 is a prime example, and it’s currently for sale with a list of modifications nearly as massive as the SUV itself.

A Land Rover With Corvette Power

Classic Defenders came with a variety of engines, and none of them were powerful. However, this custom comes equipped with the supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V-8 from a Chevrolet C7 Corvette Z06., meaning a peak output of 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. This engine has been fitted with a stainless-steel exhaust system with custom mufflers, so it could produce even more grunt. Regardless of how much power can be produced, all of it is sent to all four wheels through an 8L90-E eight-speed automatic transmission and a dual-range transfer case.

To the surprise of nobody, the Z06’s engine did not naturally fit in the Defender’s engine bay, so E.C.D. Automotive Design of Kissimmee, Florida fitted custom engine mounts along with an aluminum radiator, replacement fuel pump, new fuel lines, and cooling lines. The handling seems like it could be less of a shocker. Black wheels are wrapped in 265/65 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 tires, and the suspension has reportedly been overhauled. But specifics such as what changes were made or which components were replaced or modified are not mentioned. Fortunately, all four wheels are fitted with grooved disc brakes with Alcon calipers.

This Land Rover Defender Has A Overhauled Interior And Exterior

The exterior has received a thorough makeover. The most notable change is the external steel roll cage which matches the black roof panel. The body is painted Nara Bronze with black diamond plating behind the rear doors, on the side skirts, and front fenders. Additional modifications include tubular side steps, a new hood, sliding rear windows, a front brush bar, mud flaps, projector-style headlights, and LED auxiliary lights, brake lights, and turn signals.

The interior in most classic defenders is about as basic and simple as you can get; a steering wheel, some pedals, a gear stick, crank windows, and not much else. This model has four new bucket seats trimmed in black diamond-stitched leather, the same as the door panels. The dashboard, center console, and pretty much everything else is trimmed in black leather, and the headline is Alcantara. Comfort upgrades over the standard car consist of sound deadening, a rubber floor liner, an Alpine touch-screen stereo that looks wildly out of place, and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer. At least one of the previous owners had a sense of humor as the carbon fiber MOMO steering wheel frames a 200-mile-per-hour speedometer as well as other auxiliary gauges.